Dr. Matiur Rahman : World Refugee Day, celebrated annually on June 20, is a poignant reminder of the challenges faced...
Chattogram’s iconic hills are facing a dangerous situation. Over 6,500 families, totaling more than 20,000 people, are illegally residing on these hills, putting themselves and the environment at risk. This is a violation of the law, and the practice of indiscriminate hill razing threatens the stability of the slopes. The problem is particularly severe on hills owned by the Bangladesh Railway. Despite removing over 1,700 illegal structures in the past two years, authorities have struggled to find a permanent solution...
Heavy rainfall in the last several days and onrush of water from upstream caused sudden flooding in the country’s northeast and northern districts. Meanwhile, the flood situation in Sylhet region has been deteriorating with water levels rising in all major rivers. The incessant rain has also caused overflowing of major water bodies. There is serious danger of landslides in the hilly regions. Already eight lakh people have reportedly been marooned in Sylhet district alone. Weather, flood and climate experts warn...
Md. Shawkat Alam Faisal : In recent years, global climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. One such disaster, Cyclone Remal, has wreaked havoc in Bangladesh, a country that frequently faces the wrath of nature. However, a disturbing trend has emerged: while one part of the country grapples with the cyclone’s devastation, another part seems to revel in the heavy winds and torrential rains. This paradox raises significant questions about societal empathy and collective responsibility. Cyclone...
Professor Rayhan Ahmed Tapader : The horrific carnage in Gaza is undoubtedly painful. Amid discontent in the Arab world, differing views have emerged on the ongoing conflict in Gaza, sparking a divided public opinion. It has been questioned whether the decision to engage in an intense conflict in Gaza was made solely because of Hamas. The question has been raised, whether there was a role of some resistance faction or any allied force behind this important decision. At such a...
Bangladesh’s dreams of high-paying foreign jobs are facing a reality check. The number of Bangladesh workers finding jobs abroad dropped by 20 percent in the first four months of 2024 compared to last year. This raises concerns for a key sector of Bangladesh’s economy, with remittances from overseas workers a significant source of foreign exchange. The drop is largely due to slumping demand in two major destinations – Malaysia and Oman. Malaysia, a former top choice for Bangladeshi workers, closed...
Eid-ul Azha, the second largest religious festival for the Muslims, will be celebrated tomorrow (Monday) in Bangladesh. Hajj is one of the five mandatory practices in Islam. It’s compulsory to perform hajj for every capable Muslim. And a prominent part of hajj is the rite of qurbani or sacrifice. Eid stands for joy while qurbani means sacrifice. Allah had ordered Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) to sacrifice most favourite thing. Hazrat Ibrahim then took his beloved son Ismail (AS) out to sacrifice....
Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed : Eid means joy and delight. Azha means sacrifice. So, the meaning of Eid-ul-Azha is the...
A new World Bank report paints a grim picture for Bangladesh’s future, with climate change threatening to devastate the nation’s agricultural sector. The “Framework for Implementing Green Growth in Bangladesh” report warns that by 2050, the country could lose a staggering one-third of its agricultural GDP. This potential food crisis isn’t a distant threat. By 2040, the report predicts a 6.5% loss of cropland, with southern Bangladesh facing an even more dire situation, potentially losing 18% of its arable land....
Dr. Matiur Rahman : In recent decades, the global political economy has increasingly incorporated environmental considerations, leading to the emergence...
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) analysis has revealed that 30.41 percent of the elected chairmen are multi-millionaires. Immovable assets of 51 candidates’ inflated by more than Tk 1 crore in five years while the same happened with another 41 candidates in ten years. The question that pops up naturally is how did the local public representatives of a poor country become so rich? According to the analysis, Jhalakathi sadar upazila parishad chairman Arifur Rahman’s wealth has increased by 11,666 percent. Around...
Md. Shah Alam : The recruitment agencies in Bangladesh seem notorious for their exploitative practices, posing significant obstacles for unemployed...